Spicy Feta Chicken with Lemon Rice

This Spicy Feta Chicken recipe is absolutely loaded with flavor, and super easy to throw together on a weeknight! Tender shredded chicken breast is coated in the feta sauce, which you can adjust to your preferred spice level. Serve topped with fresh thyme, and allow everyone to spice up their own serving with extra crushed red pepper flakes! I’ve paired this rich dish with my bright and tangy lemon rice, which I think results in a great balance of flavors. The lemon rice pairing is loosely inspired by Greek lemon rice, however this version is significantly different and not authentic. I also like to serve this dish with a side of quick pickled cucumbers.

Key Tips – Spicy Feta Chicken with Lemon Rice

Taste as you go to balance the spice!

• Everyone has a different tolerance for spicy foods, so make sure you taste the sauce as you go and add more cayenne pepper to suit your preference. If you’re serving this dish to people with varying spice preferences, make the dish on the mild side and have the spice-lovers top their helping with extra crushed red pepper flakes.

Sub in already cooked shredded chicken to save time.

• This method of making shredded chicken results in awesome tender pieces, but if you already have some shredded chicken on hand you can easily use that instead! Just make sure you warm the chicken up before coating it in the sauce.

Use premade roasted red bell peppers.

• Technically, you could roast your own red bell peppers for this recipe, but since you use only a little, I think it’s easier to just pick them up premade (usually in a jar). Use the leftovers as a fun topping on salads and pasta!

The sauce can be made ahead of time.

• If you’re looking to prep portions of the meal in advance, you can make the sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to use.

Dietary Restrictions – Spicy Feta Chicken with Lemon Rice

This dish is naturally Gluten-Free.

• Just make sure to double-check the chicken stock you’re using, massed produced chicken stock may contain gluten.

A Note On Serving Sizes

Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. While this is listed as 4 servings, many people would prefer to have more than one serving. Plated in the photo is 2 servings of the spicy feta chicken, and 1 serving of the lemon rice. The recipe for the chicken can be easily doubled as needed.

Spicy Feta Chicken with Lemon Rice

Tender shredded chicken coated in incredibly flavorful spicy feta sauce, paired with tangy lemon rice.

5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• ⅔ cup chicken stock
• olive oil
• salt
• fresh cracked black pepper
• red pepper flakes optional, for topping
• ~1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves optional, for topping

For Feta Sauce:

• 4 oz feta
• 1 small shallot chopped
• ¼ cup roasted red bell peppers chopped, I use jarred peppers
• ½ tbsp freshly minced garlic
• ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp chicken stock or water
• ¼ tsp cayenne powder + more to taste
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp pepper

For Lemon Rice:

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 large lemons zested and juiced
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt to taste

Instructions

 

Preparation – Spicy Feta Chicken

• Trim any excess fat and gently pound the chicken breast(s) to an even thickness. Season all over with salt and pepper.
• Warm a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat in a pan that has a lid. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes per side until golden. Add the ⅔ cup chicken stock to the pan and close with the lid. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for another ~10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
• Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Combine the spicy feta sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and add more cayenne to make it as spicy as you’d like (if you are very sensitive to spice, start with ⅛ tsp rather than ¼ tsp cayenne or omit completely).
• When the chicken is ready, allow it to rest for a few minutes then shred it (I use two forks to shred chicken breast). Toss the chicken in the sauce until its fully coated, you may not want to use all the sauce so add a little at a time.
• Optionally, top with red pepper flakes and/or fresh thyme when serving.

Preparation – Lemon Rice

• Thoroughly rinse the rice until the water runs clear (even if the rice says “pre-washed”). In a medium stockpot combine the rice, chicken stock, and half of the lemon juice.
• Close the pot with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to low so the rice is simmering and cook until the water is all gone, about 10 minutes. Set heat to low to keep warm until ready to serve.
• Before serving, add the lemon zest, the rest of the lemon juice, butter, and a dash of salt. Mix well, then serve.

Notes

If you already have shredded chicken on hand, you can easily substitute that in! Just make sure you warm it up before tossing it in the sauce.

The pairing of the lemon rice is generally inspired by Greek lemon rice, however this is my take on lemon rice and not an authentic Greek recipe. 

Keyword Chicken, Feta Chicken, Lemon Rice, Rice, Spicy Feta Chicken

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